October 29, 2014

The Denver Broncos, defending champions of the American
Football Conference, were 5-3 as they traveled to Seattle to take on the
up-and-coming Seahawks on October 29, 1978, a team they had beaten handily four
weeks earlier at home. A season after reaching the playoffs for the first time
in franchise history, Head Coach Red Miller’s team was still heavily dependent
on the “Orange Crush” defense. The conservative offense was again directed by
QB Craig Morton and he had fine receivers available in WR Haven Moses and TE
Riley Odoms. The ground game operated with a six-member
running-back-by-committee arrangement.

Seattle, in its third year of existence and coached by
the stoical Jack Patera, was at 4-4 and coming off a big win over the Raiders
the previous week. The offense was led by the mobile lefthanded QB Jim Zorn and
included WR Steve Largent and RB Sherman Smith as other key components. The
defense included talented newcomers in LB Keith Butler and FS John Harris.

There were 62,948 fans on hand at the Kingdome. The
Broncos took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards. Craig Morton completed a
pass to Riley Odoms for 26 yards to the Seattle 38 and fullbacks Lonnie Perrin (pictured above) and Jon Keyworth and HB Otis Armstrong all ran effectively. Jim Turner kicked a
34-yard field goal to give Denver the early lead.

Seattle responded with a five-play, 66-yard drive of its
own, culminating in a pass from Jim Zorn to WR Sam McCullum that resulted in a
44-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera added the extra point and the home team was in
front by 7-3.

Denver put together another methodical series, utilizing
more members of the running back corps, with FB Larry Canada carrying three
times for 22 yards and HB Rob Lytle contributing 15 yards on two attempts. The
drive stalled at the Seattle 17 and Turner missed on another 34-yard field goal
attempt.

The Seahawks punted following their next possession but
got the ball back two plays later when WR Jack Dolbin fumbled after catching a
short pass and DE Ernie Price recovered at the Denver 16. In a series that
extended into the second quarter, Seattle scored in seven plays, the last a
four-yard run by Zorn on a quarterback draw for a TD. Herrera kicked the point
after and the Seattle lead grew to 14-3.

The teams traded punts until the Broncos again drove into
Seattle territory, but a fake field goal attempt failed. Shortly thereafter, LB
Randy Gradishar intercepted a pass to give Denver the ball at the Seattle 34. It
took just two plays to score, with Morton rolling out and throwing to WR Rick
Upchurch for a 29-yard touchdown. Turner added the PAT and the Broncos had
closed to 14-10, which remained the score at halftime.

Heading into the third quarter, both offenses were having
difficulty mounting drives, and passing was especially problematic. Midway
through the period the Broncos got the ball at the Seattle nine following a
fumbled snap by Zorn and Perrin ran for a one-yard touchdown. Turner converted
and the visitors were in front by 17-14.

In the fourth quarter, a tipped pass intended for Steve
Largent was intercepted by LB Bob Swenson to give the Broncos the ball at the
Seattle 45. They picked up 12 yards before having to punt. The teams exchanged
punts once more before the Seahawks, with Steve Myer now at quarterback, put
together a series that involved an interception that, thanks to a fumbled
lateral by Gradishar on the return, ended up giving the ball back to Seattle.
Myer completed three passes and ran twice for ten yards and Herrera kicked a
37-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining to tie the score and send the game
into overtime.

The Broncos had first possession in the extra period and
punted. A short series by the Seahawks also resulted in a punt, but after HB
Dave Preston ran for 16 yards, Perrin fumbled and SS Autry Beamon recovered for
Seattle at his 41. Zorn was back behind center, but his first down pass was
deflected and picked off by CB Steve Foley (pictured at left), who returned it 30 yards to the
Seattle 36. Keeping the ball on the ground, the Broncos reached the Seattle one
and Turner came in to kick an 18-yard field goal. The first try was wide to the
left after Morton, the holder, barely fielded a bad snap, but the 15-year veteran
placekicker got a reprieve when the Seahawks were penalized for having twelve
men on the field, and given another shot he was successful. Denver came away
with a 20-17 win at 12:59 into overtime.

The Broncos significantly outgained Seattle (423 yards to
258), with the six Denver running backs totaling 278 rushing yards, and had the
edge in first downs (25 to 19). The Seahawks turned the ball over five times to
three suffered by Denver, while the Broncos committed 12 penalties, at a cost
of 103 yards, to 9 flags thrown on Seattle, for 61 yards, although the last
penalty on the Seahawks was ultimately the most costly.

Jon Keyworth led the strong Denver running attack with 70
yards on eight carries, followed by Larry Canada’s 68 yards on 15 attempts and
Lonnie Perrin gaining 57 yards on 15 tries that included a touchdown. Craig
Morton completed just 11 of 28 passes for 155 yards and a TD, although he had
none intercepted. Haven Moses caught three of those passes for 60 yards while
Rick Upchurch added 42 yards and a score on two receptions and also returned
three punts for 61 yards.

For the Seahawks, Jim Zorn also had a rough passing
performance as he was successful on only 9 of 29 throws for 110 yards and a
touchdown while giving up three interceptions. In his relief stint, Steve Myer
was 6 of 11 for 38 yards and was picked off once. Sherman Smith ran for 73
yards on 17 carries and caught four passes for another 21 yards. Sam McCullum (pictured at right) gained 57 yards on his three pass receptions that included a TD.

“On the first attempt, the snap was high,” explained Jim
Turner of the miss on the first try for the winning field goal in overtime. “I
don’t know how Craig (Morton) caught the ball.”

The overtime win for the Broncos marked the third (and
last) time they went into OT during the season, and was the second time they
came out on top. They lost to the Jets the following week but then won four of
five on the way to finishing with a 10-6 record and topping the AFC West for
the second straight year. They did not get deep into the playoffs this time,
however, losing to Pittsburgh in the Divisional round. Seattle recovered to win
five of its last seven contests and post the first winning record in the young
franchise’s history at 9-7, which ranked third in the highly-competitive
division.